Busting Myths About Hearts Diseases

MYTH: If you have heart disease, you need to take it easy.

Fact: "For the vast majority of people with heart disease, being sedentary is a bad idea. It can lead to blood clots in the legs and a decline in overall physical condition," says cardiologists. Physical activity helps strengthen the heart muscle, improves blood flow to the brain and internal organs, and improves overall health and well-being

MYTH: It's okay to have higher blood pressure when you're older.

Fact: Blood pressure tends to rise with age, but the fact that this trend is "normal" doesn't mean that it is good for you. It happens because artery walls become stiff with age. Stiff arteries force the heart to pump harder. This sets up a vicious cycle. Blood pounding against the artery walls damages them over time. The overworked heart muscle becomes less effective and pumps harder to meet the body's demands for blood. This further damages the arteries and invites fat into the artery walls. This is how high blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

MYTH: Diabetes won't cause heart disease if you take diabetes medication.

Fact: Diabetes medication helps lower blood sugar levels. Maintaining normal blood sugar levels is important for preventing complications that affect the smaller blood vessels (microvascular complications), such as kidney disease, loss of vision, erectile dysfunction, and nerve damage.

But blood sugar control has less effect on the large blood vessels that become inflamed and diseased, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. "These vessels benefit more from lowering cholesterol and blood pressure".

MYTH: You can lower your risk of heart disease with vitamins and supplements.

Fact: The antioxidant vitamins E, C, and beta carotene factor into lowering heart disease risk. However, clinical trials of supplementation with these vitamins have either failed to confirm benefit or were conducted in such a way that no conclusion could be drawn. The American Heart Association has stated that there is no scientific evidence to justify using these vitamins to prevent or treat cardiovascular disease.

MYTH: If you have smoked for years, you can't reduce your risk of heart disease by quitting.

Fact: The benefits of quitting smoking start the minute you quit, no matter your age, how long you have smoked, or how many cigarettes a day you have smoked. Only one year after quitting, your heart attack risk will have dropped by 50%; in 10 years, it will be the same as if you never smoked.

MYTH: Heart disease is really a man's problem.

Fact: Since 1984, more women than men have died each year from heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women over age 65, just as it's the leading killer of men.

MYTH: If you have heart disease, you should eat as little fat as possible.

Fact: It's true you should eat a diet low in saturated fat, partially hydrogenated fat, and trans fat. But other fats, notably the unsaturated fats in vegetable oils and other foods, are beneficial. In fact, eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, twice a week can lower the risk of heart disease.

MYTH: A small heart attack is no big deal.

Fact: "A small heart attack isn't a big deal in terms of how well your heart can function. It may even pass unnoticed. But it's a huge warning sign that you have serious heart disease, and your next heart attack may kill you"

Myth: Heart disease is for old people.

Fact: Heart disease affects women of all ages. For younger women, the combination of birth control pills and smoking boosts heart disease risks by 20 percent. And while the risks do increase with age, things like overeating and a sedentary lifestyle can cause plaque to accumulate and lead to clogged arteries later in life. But even if you lead a completely healthy lifestyle, being born with an underlying heart condition can be a risk factor.

Myth: Heart disease doesn’t affect women who are fit.

Fact: Even if you’re a yoga-loving, marathon-running workout fiend, your risk for heart disease isn’t completely eliminated. Factors like cholesterol, eating habits and smoking can counterbalance your other healthy habits. You can be thin and have high cholesterol. The American Heart Association recommends you start getting your cholesterol checked at age 20, or earlier, if your family has a history of heart disease. And while you’re at it, be sure to keep an eye on your blood pressure at your next check-up.

Myth: I don’t have any symptoms

Fact: Sixty-four percent of women who die suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms. Because these symptoms vary greatly between men and women, they’re often misunderstood. Media has conditioned us to believe that the telltale sign of a heart attack is extreme chest pain. But in reality, women are somewhat more likely to experience shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain. Other symptoms women should look out for are dizziness, feeling lightheaded or fainting, pain in the lower chest or upper abdomen and extreme fatigue.

Myth: Heart disease runs in my family, so there’s nothing I can do about it

Fact: Although people with a family history of heart disease are at higher risk, there’s plenty you can do to dramatically reduce it. Simply create an action plan to keep your heart healthy.

Myths: Cardiac arrest and heart attack are the same thing.

A heart attack is not the same as a cardiac arrest. A heart attack occurs when one of the coronary arteries becomes blocked. Because of the blockage, the heart muscle can’t get its vital blood supply and will begin to die because it is not getting enough oxygen, if left untreated. The person will probably be conscious.
A cardiac arrest is when a person’s heart stops pumping blood around their body and they stop breathing normally. The person will be unconscious .
A heart attack and a cardiac arrest are both emergency situations.

Myths: Coughing vigorously during a heart attack could save your life.

Fact: There is no medical evidence to support ‘cough CPR’, which suggests you can help yourself by coughing vigorously if you think you’re having a heart attack and are alone.

Fact: All heart attacks come with a risk of long-term problems, such as abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia), and a higher risk of a second heart attack or stroke.

Fact: Heart failure is when your heart stops beating. Having heart failure means that for some reason your heart is not pumping blood around the body as well as it used to. Heart failure can develop suddenly or it can happen slowly over months or even years. The most common reason is that your heart muscle has been damaged, for example after a heart attack.

Fact: A sudden cardiac arrest does mean that the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. This means that blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs, so a person can die within minutes if it’s not treated. Using a defibrillator for a sudden cardiac arrest can be life saving.

Fact: We know that leading a healthy lifestyle – eating a balanced diet, getting physical activity, stopping smoking, and reducing your stress levels – can help to prevent heart disease. But some people can lead exemplary lifestyles and still develop heart disease.

-Dr Chukwuebuka Okoye Project team member